IdahoMtnSpyder
Active member
I took the GWRRA trike rider course last week at Wing Ding in Billings. We practiced swerving, controlled stops, panic stops, stopping in a curve, and a few other maneuvers in the range part of the course. That took about 4 hours. We discussed trike related issues in regard to riding during the classroom portion which is about 2+ hours. One is how the driver and passenger should lean, or not, during cornering. It's not the same with Spyders as with conventional trikes.
Spyders are making their presence known. The lead instructor, who rides a 2014 RTS, guesstimated that of all the bikes at Wing Ding about 1/3 were trikes. I don't know how many Spyders there were, but I'm guessing at least 20 or more. There were 10 trikes in the course, 6 Wing trikes and 4 Spyders, plus the instructor's Spyder.
The course if well worth taking. If nothing else you learn the basics of handling the trike under the watchful eye of the instructors. Do something wrong they let you know. Do something right, they let you know.
An optional exercise at the end of the range session was circling a cone fast and hard enough to raise the inside wheel. This is particularly beneficial for conventional trike riders as they can get a feel for how the bike reacts when the wheel lifts. The instructor did not encourage, but did allow us Spyder owners to do it, but I was the only one who did. One reason for not encouraging Spyder riders to do it is because there have been cases where the outside front tire broke loose from the rim due to the high side load on it. I scuffed my outside tire and he said the inside one did come off the ground maybe an inch. I had the throttle wide open but Nanny held me back. Whether I cornered faster and sharper than the conventional trikes, I don't know. He didn't say.
Once again I'm going to ask, and plead, and encourage the organizers of Spyderfest to incorporate training into the activities. No one is ever too old to learn more riding skills, and riding correctly. I saw some pretty poor group riding around Billings last week. GWRRA is looking at offering their training services to other organizations. Spyder Ryders of America would do well to engage them for some three wheel rider training. They also offer a Trike and Trailer Rider Course. How many Spyder riders pull trailers, and of those how many have taken a course that explains the ins and outs of safe trailering? Not many I think.
I mentioned it before. Idaho reviewed the statistics of motorcycle fatalities for the past several years. Nearly 80% were due to rider error, especially during cornering. Of those, less than 30% had had any formal rider training. When it comes to riding, if there is one factor above all else that prevents motorcycle accidents and fatalities, it is rider training.
Spyders are making their presence known. The lead instructor, who rides a 2014 RTS, guesstimated that of all the bikes at Wing Ding about 1/3 were trikes. I don't know how many Spyders there were, but I'm guessing at least 20 or more. There were 10 trikes in the course, 6 Wing trikes and 4 Spyders, plus the instructor's Spyder.
The course if well worth taking. If nothing else you learn the basics of handling the trike under the watchful eye of the instructors. Do something wrong they let you know. Do something right, they let you know.
An optional exercise at the end of the range session was circling a cone fast and hard enough to raise the inside wheel. This is particularly beneficial for conventional trike riders as they can get a feel for how the bike reacts when the wheel lifts. The instructor did not encourage, but did allow us Spyder owners to do it, but I was the only one who did. One reason for not encouraging Spyder riders to do it is because there have been cases where the outside front tire broke loose from the rim due to the high side load on it. I scuffed my outside tire and he said the inside one did come off the ground maybe an inch. I had the throttle wide open but Nanny held me back. Whether I cornered faster and sharper than the conventional trikes, I don't know. He didn't say.
Once again I'm going to ask, and plead, and encourage the organizers of Spyderfest to incorporate training into the activities. No one is ever too old to learn more riding skills, and riding correctly. I saw some pretty poor group riding around Billings last week. GWRRA is looking at offering their training services to other organizations. Spyder Ryders of America would do well to engage them for some three wheel rider training. They also offer a Trike and Trailer Rider Course. How many Spyder riders pull trailers, and of those how many have taken a course that explains the ins and outs of safe trailering? Not many I think.
I mentioned it before. Idaho reviewed the statistics of motorcycle fatalities for the past several years. Nearly 80% were due to rider error, especially during cornering. Of those, less than 30% had had any formal rider training. When it comes to riding, if there is one factor above all else that prevents motorcycle accidents and fatalities, it is rider training.
